Turbine power plant having an axially loaded floating brush seal
AssigneeWatson Cogeneration Company
InventorSteve Ingistov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axially loaded floating brush seal useful in a stationary gas turbine engine having a first rotary compressor component having a rotor having a radial surface, a second non-rotary component having an end ending near the radial surface with the floating brush seal being positioned between the first and the second components to substantially reduce the flow of air between the first and second components. A method for controlling the flow of cooling air into a chamber in the second component using the rotary brush seal is also disclosed.
Claims20
A stationary gas turbine engine for a power plant having an axially loaded floating brush seal and comprising:
- (a) a multistage axial compressor, the compressor having a rotor, the rotor having a radial surface downstream of at least a major portion of the compressor;
- (b) a turbine shaft-coupled to the rotor;
- (c) a stationary inner barrel member having an end and a cavity positioned in the end of the inner barrel member, the cavity having an inner surface, the inner barrel being downstream of at least a major portion of the compressor, air flowing from the compressor passing outside of the inner barrel member, a chamber within the inner barrel member forming a passage for cooling air from the compressor, the cooling air flowing from the chamber and being mixed with combustion gases upstream of the turbine;
- (d) a said axially loaded floating brush seal for controlling air passage into the chamber from the compressor, the axially loaded floating brush seal comprising:
- (i) a bristle holder axially positioned relative to the inner barrel;
- (ii) a multiplicity of bristle members extending axially from the bristle holder toward the radial surface of the rotor, downstream extremities of the bristle members being rigidly retained relative to the bristle holder;
- (iii) a back plate connected to the downstream end of the bristle holder and having its downstream side adapted to engage a spring;
- and,
- (iv) at least one of said spring mounted between the back plate and the inner surface of the cavity to urge the bristle members into contact with the radial surface of the rotor.
A stationary gas turbine comprising:
- (a) a first rotary compressor component having a rotor having a radial surface;
- (b) a non-rotary second component having an end extending over and around at least a portion of the rotor with an end near the radial surface and including a cavity;
- (c) a passageway between the end of the second component and the rotor;
- and,
- (d) an axially loaded floating brush seal positioned on the end of the second component to resiliently engage the radial surface, the floating brush seal comprising:
- (i) a bristle holder axially positioned relative to the second component;
- (ii) a multiplicity of bristle members extending axially at their first ends from the bristle holder toward the radial surface of the rotor, second ends of the bristle members being rigidly retained relative to the bristle holder;
- (iii) a back plate connected to an end of the bristle holder;
- and,
- (iv) at least one spring mounted between the back plate and an inner surface of the cavity to urge the bristle members into contact with the radial surface of the rotor.
A method for controlling cooling air flow into a chamber in a stationary inner barrel member in a turbine power plant having a multi-stage axial compressor, a turbine shaft-coupled to a rotor of the compressor, the rotor having a radial surface, positioned circumferentially relative to the shaft and near an end of the stationary inner barrel member, the method consisting essentially of:
- (a) positioning a brush seal comprising:
- (i) a bristle holder axially positioned relative to the inner barrel;
- (ii) a multiplicity of bristle members extending axially at their first ends from the bristle holder toward the radial surface of the rotor, second ends of the bristle members being rigidly retained relative to the bristle holder;
- (iii) a back plate connected to an end of the bristle holder;
- and,
- (iv) at least one spring mounted between the back plate and an inner surface of a cavity in the end of the inner barrel to urge the bristle members into contact with the radial surface of the rotor;
- and,
- (b) providing substantially all of the cooling airflow required in the chamber via at least one flow-controlled passageway in fluid communication with at least one of a compressor outlet and an auxiliary air source and the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.